


The Art of Being Protective

by the_chaotic_lesbian (orphan_account)



Series: The Art of Being Mike Wheeler [3]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Hinted Relationships, Platonic Relationships, byler only if you squint, defensive mike wheeler, hinted mileven, mike wheeler loves his friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-30
Updated: 2019-10-30
Packaged: 2021-01-12 23:51:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21234647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/the_chaotic_lesbian
Summary: Mike may make fun of his friends and dramatically proclaim how much he hates them, but at the end of the day, he'd die for them. 100%, with no hesitation.~~~~~~~~~~~Or, Mike is the only one allowed to tease his friends.





	The Art of Being Protective

**Author's Note:**

> Another one? I know, I'm surprised too. Don't get used to it. 
> 
> Enjoy!!!!

_ They’re twelve, and Mike is staring down at the waters below. Behind him, he can hear Troy sneering insults, Dustin frantically screaming at him to stop even with the knife held to his throat. It all culminates in white noise as he gazes off. That’s too far of a jump, he thinks off-handedly, he won’t survive it.  _

** _Maybe I will see Will, _ ** _ he thinks, and he sighs, foot stepping off the edge,  _ ** _maybe it won’t be too bad. _ **

** _I’m sorry guys. _ **

_ (He doesn’t know that his new friend is there, ready to catch him and fling him back onto land. He doesn’t know that she’s gonna magically appear and chase the bullies off.)  _

_ (All he knows is that Dustin is in danger. His friend is in danger. And he’ll do anything to protect him.)  _

_ “Mike, Mike please don’t do this man-”  _

_ Mike jumps.  _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s a Friday night, and everybody is crowded in one space. Not in the basement of Mike’s house, for once, but rather in Hopper’s tiny living room, curled up on the couch with the tv sitting on the stand. Hopper himself had gone to bed, trusting that the group of six kids could be trusted not to cause havoc. 

Perhaps it isn’t the best assumption, but whatever. Mike isn’t complaining. 

_ Nightmare on Elm Street  _ is playing, courtesy of Lucas who had the honor of picking the biweekly movie this time. Perhaps not the best choice, all things considered, but Mike still loves horror movies so again, he isn’t complaining. 

It’s clear that the others don’t feel the same, though. While Lucas is completely entranced - and so is Max, he realizes - Dustin is shaking like a leaf, El is clinging to Mike’s arm even as her eyes are glued to the screen, and Will… has his face buried in his hands, tucked away at the edge of the couch. He’s sitting next to Mike theoretically, but he’s scooted as far away as possible, curled into a ball. 

Mike glances down at El, catches her eye. All he has to do is gesture towards Will and she releases his arm, giving him an encouraging smile.  _ Fuck  _ he loves her. 

He scoots closer to Will, wraps an arm around his shoulders. “Hey - you alright?” 

Will jerks upwards, glancing at Mike with hesitant eyes. He looks… not scared, but anxious. In retrospect, a horror movie really isn’t what they need right now. He’s an idiot. 

“I’m fine,” his friend says, his voice shaky, “why?” 

Mike snorts at this. “Liar.” Sometimes he believes Will when he says he’s okay, sometimes he pretends, but today is not one of those times. He glances back over his shoulder - El has scooted into Max’s side instead, leaning against the other girl’s shoulder - and then he tugs Will a bit closer to himself, hand curling round his shoulder to rest against his arm. 

“You don’t have to watch it,” he says softly, rubbing circles into Will’s arm subconsciously, “you can close your eyes if you want. None of us are going to judge.”

From his position, he can’t see Will’s face, but he hears his friend hum under his breath, and then Will’s leaning further into his chest, his shaking subsiding. “...thanks, Mike,” he whispers, and Mike feels a rush of pride swell into his chest. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anybody who watches Lucas and Mike interact probably wouldn’t realize that they’re friends, considering how much they bicker. Personally, Mike doesn’t mind it too much; he knows that snarky teasing is how Lucas shows love. Even if it is upsetting at times. Even if it gets on his everlasting nerves. 

(He knows that Lucas will, at the end of the day, have his back no matter what, because above all they’re  _ friends  _ and that’s just what friends do.) 

They’re walking down a school corridor, on their way to the AV Club. It’s routine at this point, but this year they’re all split up - Mike and Lucas have English on one side of the club room, Will has Art, while Dustin and Max both have Science - all on the other side of the school. As such, they’ve had to become accustomed to walking in small groups rather than one. It’s been jarring, but hey, at least he has someone to keep him from walking into poles. 

“For the last time,” Mike pinches the bridge of his nose, groaning, “it is  _ not like  _ that. How many times do I have to explain it?”

Lucas gives him a deadpan stare, “yeah, and I didn’t take my high score back from Max. Come on dude, just admit it.” 

Mike rolls his eyes, shoves Lucas with his shoulder. It’s friendly, a reminder of his height that he loves to take advantage of it, and although Lucas stumbles a little he knows that it’s only because his friend is surprised. 

“You’re so mean to me,” he complains, dramatically whiny, “I cannot believe I’m friends with someone who doesn’t ever believe me.” 

“That’s the spirit, Wheeler!” 

Mike spins around when the new voice joins the fray, meeting the gaze of an unfamiliar yet painfully obvious figure. A bully, then. He’s pretty used to those. 

The boy grins, all feral and shark teeth, “bout time you ditched the ebony, Wheeler. Maybe you’re learning something after all.” 

Lucas snarls, but Mike doesn’t hear it. His vision practically goes red, and he immediately places a hand on Lucas’s shoulder, standing to his full height. “What the  _ fuck  _ did you just call my friend?” He growls, venom dripping from the words. 

The boy doesn’t look fazed, and he steps in, shoving that predatory smile right in Mike’s face. “You heard me.”

Mike punches him. 

(Later, when he’s sitting outside the principal’s office sporting bruises, Lucas wraps him in a hug and whispers a quiet thank you in his ear. It makes the pain ebb just a bit.) 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

El never attends school, but Hopper pulls strings and she’s allowed to participate with the drama club after school. “For social stuff,” she tells Mike, sitting on the edge of her bed and playing with her sleeves nervously. Mike, of course, had beamed at her, because he does drama! He’ll get to hang out with her! At  _ school!  _

Getting into drama had honestly been one of the best decisions of his life. The other drama kids are all so cool, and friendly, and he actually feels at home on the stage. Plus, it’s an activity he’s been slowly forcing his friends to also get into. Will’s already painting the set pieces for the next performance, and he’s roped Dustin into helping run the lightboard after the previous light technician was sick one day. He thinks he can persuade Max to audition next time, too. 

So bringing El in isn’t a problem. In fact, it’s the best news Mike has heard in awhile. He absolutely can’t wait to introduce her to Alex, and Nathan, and Stephanie, and James, and Julie. He really can’t wait to show her around the stage, maybe introduce her to the sound technician. He could totally see her working the soundboard someday. He’s  _ excited.  _

And sure enough, El has a blast. 

Except… 

It only happens once, because Mike is nothing if not fiercely overprotective of all his friends, when they’re walking to the theater. He’s been leaving class just a little bit early every Tuesday so he can meet her at the office and walk her to the theater, because… well, does he need a proper explanation? 

“Wheeler has a girlfriend?” 

...God, Mike is so sick of people referring to him by his last name. 

He wasn’t going to turn around, but then the male voice adds, “she must be nuts to date you. Not that she’s even that attractive: guess her appearance matches her brains.” 

… 

…………..

“Mike, don’t-” El tries to say, but Mike is already spinning around on his heel. Alex has been giving him self-defense lessons(an embarrassing story), and he pauses, waits for the person to feel threatened, before decking him in the face. 

For once, he feels powerful, because the blow actually knocks the guy to the lockers. “What did you say? You wanna repeat that?” 

The guy glares, but Mike glares harder, and they eventually walk off. Which, wow, he won a fight! That never happens! 

“You didn’t have to do that,” El says softly, when he turns back around to grab at her hand and tug her along, “it was just words.” 

Mike shakes his head, “nobody gets to say shit like that to you. Not while I’m around, okay?” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spending nights at the arcade is as routine as anything. 

It’s the only place they’re allowed to go on school nights, granted they make it home at a reasonable time, and, well… Mike always jumps at a chance to get away from his house for a bit. He much prefers his friends’ company anyways. 

Evenings spent at the arcade guarantee playful bickering, taking and retaking high scores, and just… generally being  _ free.  _ It’s almost as freeing as playing DnD is, Mike thinks. 

Tonight, they draw sticks to see who pairs with who. It’s a mechanism they developed when they realized five kids playing one singular game takes forever. They split - two and three, or three groups of two if El is with them - so they can make the most of the evening. 

Mike gets paired with Max. He’s not complaining, not really, even if he releases an exaggerated groan and facepalms when he draws the short stick. Max huffs, and they both grin at each other. 

“I don’t understand,” he whines when he loses - again - to Max at Pac Man, “how are you so good at this?” 

“It’s called practice, Mike,” and she grins triumphantly as she wins again, the little ghosts beeping Mike’s defeat, “you should try it sometime.” 

Despite the bickering, he’s having fun, and he thinks she is too. So, naturally, some  _ asshole  _ has to ruin it. 

“Girls aren’t good at video games,” says the asshole, and Mike doesn’t even bother to look away. He recognizes the voice as one of the annoyingly rude kids that is bitter they can’t even get into the top ten of even the easiest game. “Clearly she’s cheating.” 

Mike exchanges a look with Max - who looks equally exasperated - and he rolls his eyes. “No, she just has brains. It’s more than you have. Now fuck off and let us play.” 

He hears the asshole scoff, but he ignores it. Max does too. 

He may not get along with her all the time, but he’ll defend her to the ends of the earth.


End file.
